Seoul Switches Finals For Tv

July 28, 1985|By Rich Lorenz.

The Seoul Olympic Organizing Committee, facing the loss of millions of dollars in TV revenue, announced Saturday that about half of the finals in the 1988 Summer Olympics will be held in the morning or early afternoon. Secretary general Lee ha-woo said 116 of the 234 finals would be held before 2 p.m. local time, making it easy to accommodate the ``widest viewers, including the television audience.`` Lee didn`t elaborate, but organizers said a major factor in the scheduling was the possible loss of $750 million in revenue from TV rights.

Some finals will be held earlier than usual to accommodate viewers in the U.S., Lee said. Committee officials said the timetable was inevitable to provide favorable terms in negotiations with U.S. networks, which had demonstrated a lukewarm attitude because of a 13-hour time difference between Seoul and the eastern United States. Lee said no final agreements have been reached with international sports federations on morning competitions in track and field, swimming, gymnastics and baseball, making it hard to broadcast those events live in the U.S.

The timetable calls for early morning finals in 45 events for weightlifting, soccer and wrestling. In boxing, eight finals are scheduled for morning and four in early afternoon. Twelve finals in gymnastics are scheduled between noon and 2 p.m. Of the 42 track and field finals, the women`s marathon and the men`s 50-kilometer walk will be conducted in the morning and 21 finals will be in the early afternoon.

FANS FAVOR OWNERS

Baseball fans, even union members, side with the owners and not the players in the current dispute that threatens an Aug. 6 strike, according to the New York Times-CBS News Poll. The findings are in sharp contrast to a poll taken during the 1981 strike, when the public was evenly divided. In the latest poll, taken almost two weeks ago, 43 percent of fans interviewed said they thought the owners were more in the right and 25 percent said the players were. The others didn`t choose either side.

LIONS` SIMS OUT

The Detroit Lions have put running back Billy Sims on the physically unable to perform list. The move means he can`t practice with the team, only work with trainers or on his own. Sims is recovering from knee surgery. . . . Dallas running back Tony Dorsett didn`t report to camp and will meet in Dallas this week with Internal Revenue Service officials to discuss his tangled finances. Dorsett, who owes $414,000 to the IRS, will report to camp late. He could be fined $1,000 a day until he arrives. . . . The Atlanta Falcons` top draft choice, tackle Bill Fralic, signed a contract worth $7.75 million, according to the Atlanta Journal and the Atlanta Constitution. He reportedly received a cash signing bonus of $575,000 and salaries beginning at $175,000 and reaching $300,000 over the contract`s four-year period. Fralic also is scheduled to receive $250,000 in deferred cash payments. He will receive payments of $150,000 a year for 40 years from an annuity.

. . . Oakland Invaders` quarterback Bobby Hebert is talking with the New Orleans Saints. He is looking for a total of $900,000 to $1 million a year including base salary and bonuses. . . . The United States Football League`s Breakers franchise and Doug Flutie may be returning to Boston. According to Flutie`s agent, Bob Woolf, the Breakers, who have played in Boston, New Orleans and Portland in three years, may return to New England. Flutie could become available if the Houston Gamblers and New Jersey Generals are merged. If that happens, Jim Kelly would become the Generals` quarterback and Flutie could be used to strengthen the Breakers. There also was a report that Flutie could be on a Chicago USFL franchise.

HERE COME THE OILERS

The Black Hawks will face the Stanley Cup champion Edmonton Oilers in an exhibition game Sept. 29 at the Stadium. The Hawks also will play St. Louis Sept. 25 and Detroit Oct. 6. The Hawks will play the Blues Sept. 26 in Kansas City, Mo., at Minnesota Sept. 28, at Calgary Oct. 1, at Edmonton Oct. 2 and the Red Wings Oct. 5 in Windsor, Canada.